by David Chapman
Staff Writer
Jacksonville Community Council Inc. members learned more about the Jacksonville Port Authority and its major initiatives — including a key date that could determine the fate of a Mayport cruise terminal — Wednesday during the organization’s monthly “Lunch and Learn” series.
David Kaufman, director of planning and properties for the Port Authority, was keynote speaker for the event and told the crowd of nearly two dozen JCCI members that Port officials could know whether or not to continue to pursue a cruise ship terminal in Mayport following an all-day workshop Monday of the Authority’s board of directors and senior staff members.
The workshop, said Kaufman, will feature the results of a University of North Florida study as well as discussion on the cruise economy from board advisors, economists and independent agencies to determine Northeast Florida’s future in the industry. All of the information will then be discussed by the Port’s board of directors.
“It’s not going to necessarily be what we want to hear, but it’s going to be what the real story is,” said Kaufman.
Kaufman said he doesn’t know how the workshop will play out and the board could ask for more time before rendering a decision.
If the board decides to move forward and pursue a Mayport cruise terminal, officials will present their application for a terminal master plan to the City Council’s Land Use & Zoning Committee and the full Council during its meeting Tuesday evening.
“Anything is possible,” he said. “Hopefully we receive all the answers on Monday.”
Kaufman also discussed how the Port has been able to weather the economic storm that has affected many other industries through cargo diversification. He compared the Port’s numerous activities and its “full breadth of cargo” to a diversified stock portfolio.
One of those activities has been the present use of cruises, which Kaufman said he believes can be a revenue generator.
The existing cruises from Jacksonville are generally booked full, he said, with many of the passengers coming from outside the typical five-to-six hour drive market — something he saw with his own eyes just by looking at license plates in the parking lot.
“Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, New Jersey,” he said. “The drive market has pushed out to as much as 10–12 hours.”
He attributes the expanded market to consumers hitting the road instead of the air to travel.
One issue with cruise lines, said Kaufman, is the short-term nature of contracts — which are often year-to–year — especially in Jacksonville due to the current cruise terminal and its limitations. With the potential for expansion, though, he believes it could be only time before Jacksonville is a major factor in the East Coast cruise industry.
“I think the cruise lines are ready to step up,” he said.
Jacksonville Community Council Inc. Executive Director Skip Cramer said opportunities to hear from speakers like Kaufman during the “Lunch and Learn” series are valuable for members of the community organization.
“I can’t emphasize enough how much I learn,” said Cramer.
As with Kaufman’s belief with cruise lines stepping up, Cramer said JCCI is stepping up its efforts to educate the community on timely topics by altering its “Lunch and Learn” format: the series will be held on a monthly basis now instead of its previous quarterly schedule.
“We at JCCI need to work harder to convey the ideas and educate the public about what’s going on their community,” said Cramer. “These luncheons are a way to bring in speakers to tell us about timely and interesting topics in Jacksonville.”
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